GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan contractors association on Saturday alleged that the bidding process for development projects under PSDP had been shifted to Islamabad from GB allegedly on the instructions of minister for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur.

Addressing a news conference at the Gilgit Press Club here, the association’s president Firdus Ahmed, general secretary Murtaza Ali and information secretary Mohammad Ismail claimed that the bidding process of PSDP projects had been shifted from GB to Islamabad under a plan after the formation of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government in the region.

They argued that since the projects’ bidding would be held in Islamabad local officials of different departments could not monitor the process. They said shifting of the projects’ bidding process to Islamabad showed the federal government’s lack of confidence in GB administration.

They feared that thousands of people associated with the local contractors would lose jobs if the tendering process of GB development projects was held in the federal capital.

Firdus Ahmed, the contractors’ body president, demanded establishment of Pakistan Procurement Regulatory Authority’s office in GB.

Murtaza Ali said the GB contractors were also not paid their outstanding dues.

They demanded reversal of the decision and also implementation of the escalation clause in contracts.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2021